Two hostages released by Hamas forced to feature in propaganda video by gunmen. Yochved Lifshitz , 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, were transferred to the Rafah crossing, on the Egyptian side, where they were met by paramedics.
Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 79, were released by Hamas on Monday. They were among more than 200 people taken into Gaza on October 7. Israel-Palestine war LIVE:This is the emotional moment an elderly woman held hostage for 16 days by Hamas terrorists wished them peace as she was handed to aid workers.
Chilling footage released on Monday evening showed Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper, 79, being handed over to the Red Cross at the Rafah crossing by black-clad masked gunmen Both women were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre, while their husbands remain in Gaza as hostages.The elderly women have since been handed over to the Israel Defense Forces custody and are currently in Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
'My mum was saying she was taken on the back of a motorbike, with her legs on one side and her head on another. She was taken through ploughed fields, with men on one side and men behind her. 'While I cannot put into words the relief that she is now safe, I will remain focused on securing the release of my father and all those - some 200 innocent people - who remain hostages in Gaza.'
'My brother's with her, my mum is okay, the nurses have been having a chat , they said she's very sharp and she's very keen to share information to families of other hostages she was with. 'My father was very involved in kibbutz politics. He was very involved in the rights of Palestinians, and working towards peace with our neighbours.
She described them as having complex health needs, telling Times Radio that her father had recorded high blood pressure the night before he was captured. 'My father is not the enemy. He spent his retirement driving Palestinians from the border to and from the hospital. He is not the enemy. He believes in humanity in all people.'
'Now is not the time to do anything but fight for the safe return of our people. Once they have returned, we can rise from the ashes. But we need to get these people home. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the department welcomed the release of two further hostages, three days after an American woman and her teenage daughter were let go.
Further pleas for Hamas to give up its hostages are expected to be made on Tuesday during a press conference with affected families at the Israeli Embassy in London. Israel has refrained from bombarding the area in order to facilitate the transfer, according to the sources in the Strip. The negotiations have reached an advanced stage, but Israel hasn't given approval for fuel to be delivered to Gaza via Egypt, according to the three officials.
Meshaal, one of the key negotiators of the terrorist organisation, has said that over 200 hostages held by the group could be released if Israel reduces the intensity of the bombing in Gaza Natalie Shoshana Raanan, 17, and her mother Judith Tai Raanan, 59, arrived back in Israel late on Friday, the Israeli government confirmed, having left Gaza via an Egyptian-controlled crossing.
'She's doing good. She's doing very good,' said Uri Raanan, 71, who lives in the Chicago suburbs, adding that they did not discuss where she was held or her conditions in captivity.'I'm going to hug her and kiss her, and it's going to be the best day of my life.' He said he believes Natalie and Judith to be in transit to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives, and that both will be back in the U.S. early this week.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Why the return of four Ukrainian children stolen away by Russia could offer hope to some of the terrified hostages in Gaza Advertisement He described the last 13 days as 'the worst situation,' adding that he had been kept in the dark by their captors.'Lots of phone calls, lots of TV. I've been glued to the tv for two weeks, hoping for good news - and finally it came.
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